SLC is one of the last few in the country that still allows smoking in passenger terminal areas. That's all about to change on July 5 when the first of five smoking rooms at the airport will close. By year's end all five will be gone.
Mayor Jackie Biskupski, as head of the airport, made the decision to put out smoking. She said it's a matter of health and space in an airport that is crowded and sees double the passengers it was built for.
"Freeing up some additional space to serve more needs that we have will be helpful," she said.
The 1200 square feet taken up by the smoking rooms will likely be used for more passenger seating or charging stations for laptops and cell phones.

Biskupski said the ventilation system in the smoking rooms was not doing a good job and smoke was seeping out into passenger areas. She said airport workers don't like cleaning the rooms and the ashtrays either.
Michelle Jones, a Lehi Resident, said she loves going to the Salt Lake Airport because she can smoke. She looks forward to being in a separate space with other smokers and often makes friends in the smoking room.